Rep. Brown offered the following resolution:

            House Resolution No. 407.

            A resolution to memorialize the Congress of the United States to maintain the funding for the Agricultural Research Service at Michigan State University.

            Whereas, Michigan's agricultural industry accounts for nearly $64 billion in economic activity annually and is vital to the rural economy in Michigan. The state of Michigan has one of the most diverse agricultural industries in the country, producing more than 200 crops, and is a leading producer and exporter of many of these crops. Michigan ranks second in the nation for the production of dry beans and fourth in the production of sugar beets. It exports about one-third of its agricultural commodities each year, ranking in the top ten for fruits and vegetables; and

            Whereas, The United States Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS) at Michigan State University performs vital research to support Michigan's and the nation's agricultural industry. This research is unique not only in the United States, but in the world, especially in the areas of genetic analysis and disease mitigation; and

            Whereas, There are many examples of the wide-ranging impact of the USDA-ARS at MSU. The Sugar Beet and Bean Research Program applies engineering methods and techniques that improve poor harvest quality and marketability of fruits and vegetables, as well as product quality and labor productivity. In this program, the Dry Bean Geneticist position at MSU is essential in providing food quality genetics of dry beans, particularly as it relates to canning quality and nutritional components of beans. The USDA-ARS Avian Disease and Oncology Laboratory at MSU also provides tremendous benefit to the poultry industry as the only laboratory working on Marek's Disease, a viral disease lethal to poultry, by creating modifications to keep vaccines against this disease effective; and

            Whereas, The elimination of the USDA-ARS at MSU would be detrimental to Michigan's already struggling economy. In addition, the elimination of this research program will have a negative effect on all agricultural products, dairy, commodities, specialty crops, apples, poultry, sugar beets, dry beans, and agri-business in Michigan, the United States, and the world; now, therefore, be it

            Resolved by the House of Representatives, That we memorialize the Congress of the United States to maintain the funding for the Agricultural Research Service at Michigan State University; and be it further

            Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, and the members of the Michigan congressional delegation.